Quarter Common Intermediate Format (QCIF)

What Does Quarter Common Intermediate Format (QCIF) Mean?

The quarter common intermediate format is a relatively lower resolution standard for applying a color coding system in audio-video applications. The quarter common intermediate format comes from the standard common intermediate format that can be used to provide color translation for multiple frames of video.

Techopedia Explains Quarter Common Intermediate Format (QCIF)

The difference between the common intermediate format and a quarter common intermediate format is the specific resolution and translation of color pixelization. Experts point out that using the quarter common intermediate format will present a 'quarter screen’ in relation to the CIF whole screen, or in other words, that it provides one quarter of the resolution. That may mean that when images are scaled up, they are shown to be lower resolution. Users and managers choose pixelization formats according to the desired resolution and the needs of a business or other enterprise.